Radar-augmentation of parking space sensors

ABSTRACT

Various arrangements for monitoring occupancy of multiple parking spaces are presented herein. Arrangements may use a radar-based vehicle detector that comprises a radar antenna that has a field-of-view of a portion of a parking facility. Multiple parking sensors may be present that monitor parking spaces outside of or obstructed from the field-of-view. A parking host system may be present that communicates with the radar-based vehicle detector and the plurality of parking sensors and determines in which parking space a vehicle has parked.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/697,776, filed Nov. 27, 2019, entitled “Radar-Augmentation Of ParkingSpace Sensors,” which Application claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/773,596, filed on Nov. 30, 2018, entitled“Radar-Augmentation of Parking Space Sensors,” the entire disclosures ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

A parking sensor can be installed in a parking space to monitor whethera vehicle is parked within the parking space. However, if a large numberof parking spaces are present, it may be prohibitively expensive andcumbersome to install a parking sensor in every parking space. Problemsexist with other arrangements for monitoring the occupancy of parkingspaces. For instance, a video camera may be easily obscured by obstaclesand inclement weather.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments are described related to a system for monitoringoccupancy of multiple parking spaces. In some embodiments, a system formonitoring occupancy of multiple parking spaces is described. The systemmay comprise a radar-based vehicle detector that may comprise a radarantenna that has a field-of-view of a portion of a parking facility. Theportion of the parking facility may comprise a first set of parkingspaces of the parking facility. The portion of the parking facility mayexclude a second set of parking spaces of the parking facility. Thesystem may comprise a plurality of parking space sensors. The pluralityof parking space sensors may be installed in the second set of parkingspaces. The system may comprise a parking host system that maycommunicate with the radar-based vehicle detector and the plurality ofparking space sensors. The parking host system may be configured toanalyze data received from the radar-based vehicle detector. The parkinghost system may be configured to analyze data received from theplurality of parking space sensors. The parking host system may beconfigured to output indications of parking spaces of the parkingfacility that may be occupied based on the analyzed data received fromthe radar-based vehicle detector and the data received from theplurality of parking space sensors.

Embodiments of such a system may include one or more of the followingfeatures: The system may comprise a camera. License plate recognitionmay be performed on images captured by the camera and a license platenumber may be linked to a vehicle that enters the parking facility. Theparking host system may be further configured to receive one or moreimages from the camera. The parking host system may be furtherconfigured to determine the license plate number of the vehicle from theone or more images. The parking host system may be further configured tolink the license plate number with the vehicle. The parking host systemmay be further configured to track movement of the vehicle within theparking facility based on data from the radar-based vehicle detector.The parking host system may be further configured to determine thevehicle linked with the license plate number has parked in a parkingspace of the parking facility. An indication of the indications mayindicate the parking space and the license plate number. The parkinghost system may be further configured to determine that detection of avehicle may be obstructed by one or more obstacles within the parkingfacility. The parking host system may be further configured to, based onthe data received from the radar-based vehicle detector and the datareceived from the plurality of parking space sensors, determine thevehicle may be parked within a parking space of the first set of parkingspaces or the second set of parking spaces. The parking host system maybe further configured to track movement of a vehicle within the parkingfacility based on data from the radar-based vehicle detector. Theparking host system may be further configured to, after trackingmovement, determine that detection of the vehicle may be obstructed byone or more obstacles with the parking facility. The parking host systemmay be further configured to determine that the vehicle has parkedwithin a parking space in which a parking space sensor of the pluralityof parking space sensors may be installed based on a location where thevehicle may have been last tracked and the parking space sensorindicating vehicle occupancy. The parking host system may furthercomprise a second radar-based parking space monitor that may beinstalled in a different location from the radar-based vehicle detectorand has a second field-of-view that may overlap the field-of-view. Theparking facility may be a parking garage. The parking host system may bepart of a gateway device that may serve as an interface between acloud-based server system and the plurality of parking space sensors.The system may further comprise an output display device that mayindicate whether each parking space of the parking facility may beoccupied based on the output indications.

In some embodiments, a method for determining where a vehicle has parkedis described. The method may comprise tracking, using one or moreradar-based vehicle detectors, the vehicle moving within a parkingfacility that may comprise a plurality of parking spaces. The method maycomprise analyzing data obtained from one or more parking space sensor.Each parking space sensor of the one or more parking space sensors maybe located within a parking space and monitors whether any vehicle maybe present within only the parking space. The method may comprisedetermining a parking space in which the vehicle has parked based ontracking the vehicle using the one or more radar-based vehicle detectorsand analyzing the data obtained from the one or more parking spacesensors. The method may comprise outputting an indication that theparking space may be occupied.

Embodiments of such a method may include one or more of the followingfeatures: determining the parking space may comprise determining thatthe vehicle moving within the parking facility has left a field-of-viewof the one or more radar-based vehicle detectors. Determining theparking space may comprise determining that a parking space sensor ofthe one or more parking space sensors that may be located outside thefield-of-view of the one or more radar-based vehicle detectors mayindicate that the parking space in which the parking space sensor islocated may now be occupied. Determining the parking space may furthercomprise determining that the parking space sensor indicating that theparking space may now be occupied may be due to the vehicle based onless than a threshold amount of time elapsing from when the vehicle leftthe field-of-view of the one or more radar-based vehicle detectors andthe parking space sensor indicating that the parking space may now beoccupied. Determining the parking space may further comprise determiningthat the parking space sensor may be located in a region of the parkingfacility to which the vehicle had access based on where the vehicle leftthe field-of-view of the radar-based vehicle detector. The method mayfurther comprise detecting the vehicle entering the parking facility.The method may further comprise determining a license plate number ofthe vehicle. The method may further comprise obtaining a map of theparking facility. The method may further comprise determining one ormore locations for the one or more radar-based vehicle detectors thatmay decrease a number of parking space sensors needed to effectivelymonitor the plurality of parking spaces. Effectively monitoring theplurality of parking spaces may comprise accurately determining whetherany vehicle is present within each parking space greater than a definedaccuracy threshold. The method may further comprise performing asimulation to determine parking spaces of the plurality of parkingspaces for which the one or more radar-based vehicle detectors may beinsufficient to accurately determine whether any vehicle may be presentwithin the parking spaces greater than the defined accuracy threshold.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of variousembodiments may be realized by reference to the following figures. Inthe appended figures, similar components or features may have the samereference label. Further, various components of the same type may bedistinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a secondlabel that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the firstreference label is used in the specification, the description isapplicable to any one of the similar components having the same firstreference label irrespective of the second reference label.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a parking monitoring system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a parking host system.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a parking facility at which a singleradar device monitors multiple parking spaces.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of a parking facility at which a radardevice monitors multiple parking spaces in conjunction with multipleparking space sensors.

FIG. 5 illustrates a time lapse of a top view of a parking facility as avehicle enters and parks within the parking facility.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of a parking facility at which a radardevice monitors multiple parking spaces in conjunction with an expandednumber of parking space sensors.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of a parking facility at which multipleradar devices monitor multiple parking spaces in conjunction withmultiple parking space sensors.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a method for using a radar deviceand parking space sensors to determine where a vehicle has parked.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a method for determining anefficient arrangement for monitoring parking spaces within a parkingfacility.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A parking sensor installed in a parking space can be used to monitorwhether a vehicle (e.g., car, truck, sport-utility vehicle, motorcycle,van, scooter, etc.) is parked within the parking space. Such a parkingsensor may use a magnetometer and/or time-of-flight sensor to determineif a vehicle is in close proximity to the parking sensor. Such parkingsensors may be highly accurate; however, it may be desirable to not havea parking sensor installed in every parking space, such as to save oninstallation costs, to decrease the amount of maintenance that needs tobe performed at a parking facility, and/or to decrease the amount ofbatteries consumed by such a system. Further, other types of systems maybe able to provide data that a parking sensor cannot.

One or more radar-based vehicle detection systems may be installed at aparking facility. A radar-based vehicle detection system may monitorwhether a vehicle is parking in a parking space and track movement of avehicle through a parking facility. The radar-based vehicle detectionsystem may monitor multiple parking spaces; thus, the radar-basedvehicle detection system can replace multiple parking sensors. Dependingon where the radar-based vehicle detection system is installed, it maybe possible for the field-of-view of the radar-based vehicle detectionsystem to be obscured from viewing various parking spaces and fromdetermining if a vehicle is present in the parking spaces. For instance,the shape of a parking facility may result in pillars and walls thatprevent the radar-based vehicle detection system from viewing certainparking spaces. Further, a vehicle parked in a parking space may block afield-of-view of another parking space. Therefore, a radar-based vehicledetection system may be used in conjunction with parking sensors tomonitor parking at a parking facility. Additionally, in someembodiments, a visible-light camera system may be used to augment theradar-based vehicle detection system. A camera system may be used toread license plate numbers of vehicles entering and/or exiting a parkingfacility. The camera system may be used to identify a vehicle entering aparking facility, the radar-based vehicle detection system may be usedto track the vehicle as it moves through the parking facility, and theradar-based vehicle detection system possibly in conjunction with aparking sensor may be used to determine the parking space in which avehicle has parked. Such an arrangement may involve fewer parkingsensors than if only parking sensors were used to monitor the parkingfacility.

Detail of these and additional embodiments are provided in reference tothe figures. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a parking monitoringsystem 100. Parking monitoring system 100 may be used for monitoring theutilization of parking spaces at a parking facility. A parking facilitymay be a parking garage, parking lot, on-street parking, or some otherarea or structure where vehicles may be stored. Parking monitoringsystem 100 may include: parking host system 105; gateway device 107;radar-based vehicle detectors 110 (which include radar-based vehicledetectors 110-1, 110-2, and 110-3); parking space sensors 120 (whichinclude parking spaces sensors 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3); entry/exitcamera 130; parking space status devices 170 (which can include parkingspace status devices 170-1, 170-2, and 170-3); narrowband Internet ofThings (NB-IoT) network 140; NB-IoT host system 142; cloud-based serversystem 144; cellular communication system 150; wired network connection155; and the Internet 160.

Parking host system 105 may receive data from radar-based vehicledetectors 110, parking space sensors 120, and/or entry/exit camera 130.Parking host system 105 may use the data obtained from these devices todetermine a number of vehicles present within a parking facility and/orthe specific parking spaces in which vehicles are parked within theparking facility. Parking host system 105 may output indications of thenumber of vehicles parked at a parking facility, the specific occupiedparking spaces, identifiers of vehicles parked in those specific parkingspaces, and/or the number and/or identifiers of vehicles moving withinthe parking facility. Such data may be transmitted to parking spacestatus devices 170, which may output an indication of whether a parkingspace is occupied or empty and/or the number of parking spaces availableor occupied at the parking facility. Parking host system 105 may alsotransmit data received from a cloud-based server system 144. Parkinghost system 105 may communicate with cloud-based server system 144 viavarious wired and/or wireless communication arrangements.

In some embodiments, parking host system 105 is incorporated as part ofgateway device 107. Gateway device 107 may serve as a gateway betweensensor devices that communicate using a local wireless communicationprotocol and a remote cloud-based server system that requireslong-distance communication. Further detail regarding an embodiment ofgateway device 107 is provided in U.S. Pat. App. No. 62/773,504,entitled “Host-Neutral Gateway Processing System,” attorney docketnumber P2018-08-12 (1102920), filed on Nov. 30, 2018, the entiredisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for allpurposes. In such an embodiment, gateway device 107 may execute anoperator-specific application performs the functions of parking hostsystem 105. In other embodiments, parking host system 105 may be astandalone device that includes various computerized components, such asspecial-purpose processors, general-purpose processors, and anon-transitory processor-readable medium. Further detail regardingparking host system 105 is provided in relation to FIG. 2.

Gateway device 107, or parking host system 105, may be able tocommunicate via one or more communication methods with remote networksand host systems. In the illustrated embodiment, gateway device 107 cancommunicate with NB-IoT communication network 140. NB-IoT network 140may permit low-bandwidth communication over a relatively large distancefrom a single communication tower. For instance, an NB-IoT network mayallow for 250 kilobits per second over a single narrow-band, such as 200kHz. NB-IoT communication network 140 may communicate with NB-IoT hostsystem 142. NB-IoT host system 142 may provide for additional processingcapabilities on data obtained from sensor devices and wireless devicesthat communicate with gateway device 107 or parking host system 105.Additionally or alternatively, NB-IoT host system 142 may serve as aninterface between NB-IoT network 140 and the Internet 160. In someembodiments, a cloud-based server system 144 may be connected withNB-IoT host system 142 via a communication arrangement other than theInternet, such as a private local area network (LAN). Cloud-based serversystem 144 may be operated by a particular operator and may receive andprocess data from a particular group of associated sensors or wirelessdevices.

Gateway device 107, or parking host system 105, may additionally oralternatively be able to communicate with Internet 160 via cellularcommunication system 150. Gateway device 107 may use a 3G, LTE, 4G, 5G,6G, or some other form of cellular network to access the Internet 160.In some embodiments, such a communication arrangement may besignificantly higher bandwidth than NB-IoT network 140, but may be moreexpensive to access. Additionally or alternatively, gateway device 107may have a wired network connection 155, such as via an Ethernet, tocommunicate with Internet 160. Alternatively or additionally, otherforms of communication to access the Internet 160 are possible. Forexample, in some embodiments, gateway device 107 or parking host system105 may use a Wi-Fi connection to access Internet 160 or a wide-areawireless network.

A radar-based vehicle detector of radar-based vehicle detectors 110 mayinclude a transmitter, a receiver, an antenna, and a processing system.The antenna of each radar-based vehicle detector may have afield-of-view of a portion of a parking facility. Each radar-basedvehicle detector 110 may be installed in a different location in oraround a parking facility such that the fields-of-view of each radarantenna are different (e.g., partially overlaps). In some embodiments,radar-based vehicle detectors capture radar images of a field-of-view ofthe parking facility and provide such images to parking host system 105for analysis. In other embodiments, processing may be performed locallyby each radar-based vehicle detector and a determination may be madelocally as to whether a parking space is occupied by a vehicle.

In some embodiments, radar-based vehicle detectors 110 may emitelectromagnetic (EM) radiation around 24 GHz. Reflected EM radiationaround 24 GHz may be sufficient to detect whether a vehicle is presentin a particular location and to track a vehicle through the parkingfacility as it moves. In some embodiments, radar-based vehicle detectors110 may emit electromagnetic (EM) radiation around 75 GHz. Reflected EMradiation around 75 GHz may be used to determine greater detail about aparking facility and vehicles within the parking facility. For example,it may be possible to determine specific details of a vehicle using 75GHz, such as a license plate number or identifying characteristics ofthe vehicle.

In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively to using radar-basedvehicle detectors, visible light-based cameras may be used. In somesituations, visible light cameras may be less effective due to visiblelight being affected by rain, fog and snow. Radar at certain frequenciesmay exhibit less reflectivity to such precipitation. However, for someparking facilities, such as an indoor garage, visible light-basedcameras may function well.

Parking space sensors 120 may each be installed within a parking spaceto determine whether a vehicle is present within the parking space.Detail regarding the location and physical exterior design of a possibleembodiment of parking sensor device 100-1 is provided in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/286,429, filed Oct. 5, 2016, entitled “ParkingData Aggregation and Distribution,” the entire disclosure of which ishereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. Each parking spacesensor may have a magnetometer on-board to measure a magnetic field thatis affected by whether a vehicle is present. Parking space sensors 120may transmit data indicative of measured magnetic fields to parking hostsystem 105, which may analyze the received data to determine if avehicle is present. In other embodiments, each parking space sensor 120may make a determination as to whether a vehicle is present and providean indication of such to parking host system 105. Further detailregarding the functioning of a parking space sensor 120 is provided inU.S. Provisional App. No. 62/713,346, attorney docket numberP2018-04-02, entitled “Parking Sensor Magnetometer Calibration,” theentire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated for all purposes.

Entry/exit camera 130 may capture visible light images of vehiclesentering and/or exiting the parking facility. Entry/exit camera 130 maybe designed and positioned to capture specific details of the vehicle,such as a vehicle license plate number. In some embodiments, entry/exitcamera 130 may capture an image of a license plate, which is thenanalyzed by parking host system 105 to determine the license platenumber. In some embodiments, additional details about the vehicle arecaptured by entry/exit camera 130, such as size and color. Imagescaptured by entry/exit camera 130 may be matched with a vehicle detectedby a radar-based vehicle detector that has an overlapping field-of-viewwith entry/exit camera 130. The vehicle may then be tracked through theparking facility using radar-based vehicle detectors 110 and may belinked with the license plate number (or other form of vehicleidentifier) determined using entry/exit camera 130.

Parking space status devices 170 may be used to identify whether aparking space is occupied or empty. In some embodiments, a parking spacestatus device is installed proximate to a parking space, such asattached to a ceiling in front of the parking space, and is illuminatedbased on the parking space's status of occupied or empty. For instance,a parking space status device may illuminate green if the parking spaceis available or may illuminate red if the parking space is filled. Insome embodiments, a parking space status of parking space status devices170 may be a display that indicates a number of parking spaces availablewithin the parking facility or in a specific portion of the parkingfacility (e.g., a level or floor). For instance, parking space statusdevice 170 may indicate that a vehicle should proceed to the 3^(rd)level due to a number of open parking spaces being present there.

In parking monitoring system 100, three parking space status devices170, three radar-based vehicle detectors 110, three parking spacesensors 120, and one entry/exit camera 130 are illustrated. The numbersof devices are for example purposes on. Greater or fewer numbers of eachtype of device may be present in other embodiments. For example, in aparking facility with hundreds of parking spaces, hundreds of parkingspace sensors 120 may be present.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a parking host system 105. Parkinghost system 105 may include: radar-based vehicle detector interface 205;parking sensor interface 210; entry/exit camera interface 215; vehiclemovement tracking engine 220; parking detection fusion engine 230;parking facility map 235; vehicle and parking space database 237; andcommunication interface 240.

Radar-based vehicle detector interface 205 may serve to receive datafrom various radar-based vehicle detectors from within or around aparking facility. In some embodiments, radar-based vehicle detectorinterface 205 may receive raw data from radar-based vehicle detectorsand may analyze such data to determine the location of occupied parkingspaces and/or vehicles moving within the parking facility. In otherembodiments, radar-based vehicle detector interface 205 may receiveprocess data that indicates occupied and unoccupied parking spaces andthe movement of one or more vehicles within the parking facility.

Parking sensor interface 210 may receive raw measurement data fromparking sensors positioned in parking spaces within the parking facilityand may analyze such measurement data to determine which parking sensorsare located in occupied parking spaces. In other embodiments, parkingsensor interface 210 may receive indications of which parking spaces areoccupied and which parking spaces are empty within the parking facilityfrom the parking sensors. Therefore, in some embodiments, measurementsmade by a parking sensor are analyzed by the parking sensor itself,while in other embodiments, the measurements are analyzed by parkingsensor interface 210.

Entry/exit camera interface 215 may receive raw images from anentry/exit camera and may analyze such images to determine an identifierof a vehicle (e.g., license plate number), characteristics of thevehicle, etc. In other embodiments, the entry/exit camera itself mayperform analysis of captured images and provide indications of a vehicleidentifier and/or characteristics of the vehicle to entry/exit camerainterface 215.

Vehicle movement tracking engine 220 may use data received fromradar-based vehicle detector interface 205 and entry/exit camerainterface 215 to track a vehicle moving through the parking facility.Data captured using entry/exit camera interface 215 may be used toidentify characteristics of the vehicle, including a license platenumber or other form of vehicle identifier. Radar data from radar-basedvehicle detector interface 205 may be used to track the vehicle as itmoves through the parking facility. By tracking the vehicle from whenthe entry/exit camera imaged the vehicle, the vehicle identifier andvehicle characteristics can be maintained linked to the vehicle.

Vehicle movement tracking engine 220 may be used to continue trackingthe vehicle when the vehicle is out of the field-of-view of eachradar-based vehicle detector. For instance, when a vehicle leaves thefield-of-view of a particular radar-based vehicle detector, it can beextrapolated that the vehicle is within a particular region of theparking facility. The vehicle can be assumed to remain within thatparticular region until the vehicle is again detected by a radar-basedvehicle detector either leaving the particular region of the parkingfacility or entering another region of the parking facility. Furtherdetail regarding such movement tracking is provided in relation to FIG.5.

Parking detection fusion engine 230 may receive parking data fromparking sensor interface 210 and vehicle movement tracking engine 220.Data obtained from vehicle movement tracking engine 220 may represent acombination of data from radar-based vehicle detectors and one or moreentry/exit cameras. Therefore, parking detection fusion engine 230 mayuse a combination of data from radar-based vehicle detector interface205, parking sensor interface 210, and entry/exit camera interface 215to determine which parking spaces within a parking facility are occupiedor unoccupied. Parking detection fusion engine 230 may determine that aparking space is occupied if: the parking space has a parking sensor andthe parking sensor provides data to parking sensor interface 210indicating that a vehicle is present within the parking space. Parkingdetection fusion engine 230 may also determine that a parking space isoccupied if: a radar-based vehicle detector has a clear view of aparking space and determines that a vehicle is parked within the parkingspace. Parking detection fusion engine 230 may determine that one or agroup of parking spaces is occupied or partially occupied even if noparking sensors are installed in those parking spaces and a radar-basedvehicle detector does not have a clear view of the parking spaces basedon tracking the location of one or more vehicles entering the vicinityof the parking spaces and the vehicles not having left the vicinity ofthe parking spaces or having entered a parking space that does have aparking sensor. Further detail regarding such an embodiment is providedin relation to FIG. 5.

Parking facility database 235 may be a locally stored data arrangementon a non-transitory processor-readable medium that defines portions ofthe parking facility that are monitored using radar-based vehicledetectors, portions of the parking facility that are monitored usingparking sensors, portions of the parking facility that are monitoredusing both or neither of radar-based vehicle detectors and parkingsensors, and locations and identifiers of individual parking spaces.Vehicle and parking space database 237 may be stored to a non-transitoryprocessor-readable medium and may be used to store identifiers ofvehicles and/or characteristics of vehicles in combination with thecurrent location of the vehicle. For example, a vehicle identifier maybe stored as mapped with an identifier of a parking space in which thevehicle is currently parked. A vehicle identifier may be mapped with aregion of a parking facility if the exact parking space cannot bedetermined. If a vehicle is moving within the parking facility, thevehicle identifier may be stored in conjunction with a last determinedlocation of the vehicle, such as in the form of coordinates.

Communication interface 240 may allow parking host system 105 to outputindications of which parking spaces are occupied and/or a number ofparking spaces at a parking facility that are occupied. Additionally,communication interface 240 may receive communications from one or moreremote cloud-based server system. Such communications may, for example,query parking host system 105 and/or may provide software or firmwareupdates.

Parking host system 105 may include one or more special-purpose orgeneral-purpose processors, such as to perform the tasks of vehiclemovement tracking engine 220 and parking detection fusion engine 230.Such special-purpose processors may include processors that arespecifically designed to perform the functions detailed herein. Suchspecial-purpose processors may be ASICs or FPGAs which aregeneral-purpose components that are physically and electricallyconfigured to perform the functions detailed herein. Suchgeneral-purpose processors may execute special-purpose software that isstored using one or more non-transitory processor-readable mediums, suchas random access memory (RAM), flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), ora solid state drive (SSD).

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of an embodiment 300 of a parking facilityat which a single radar device 305 monitors multiple parking spaces. Aparking host system may be located relatively nearby and may communicatewith radar-based vehicle detector 305 via wireless or wiredcommunication. In embodiment 300, radar-based vehicle detector 305 hasfield-of-view 320. Field-of-view 320 is defined by field-of-viewboundaries 310 (310-1, 310-2, and 310-3). Field-of-view limit 310-3 iscaused by a wall obstructing a portion of the parking facility frombeing monitored by radar-based vehicle detector 305. Hidden regions 330(330-1, 330-2, 330-3) indicate portions of the parking facility outsideof field-of-view 320 of radar-based vehicle detector 305.

Parking spaces 340-1, 340-2, and 340-3, for example, may be monitored byradar-based vehicle detector 305. However, parking spaces 350-1, 350-2and 350-3, for example, may not be monitored by radar-based vehicledetector 305. Some parking spaces, such as parking space 340-4 may bewithin field-of-view 320. However, parking space 340-4, for example, maybe obstructed if a large vehicle parks in parking space 340-5.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of another embodiment 400 of the parkingfacility in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, a radar device monitors multipleparking spaces in conjunction with multiple parking space sensors. Inthis embodiment, parking spaces that fall outside of field-of-view 320and are within hidden regions 330 may be monitored using parkingsensors. For instance, within parking space 350-3, parking sensor 401-1may be installed; within parking space 350-1, parking sensor 401-3 maybe installed, within parking space 350-2, parking sensor 401-4 may beinstalled. Parking space 350-7 may be partially within field-of-view 320with a significant portion (e.g., greater than 50%) falling withinhidden regions 330, therefore a parking sensor may be installed.

When a vehicle travels through field-of-view 320 and crossesfield-of-view boundary 310-3 and enters hidden region 330-2, the parkinghost system may still be able to determine the specific vehicle thatparked within a parking space. For instance, an entry/exit camera maycapture a vehicle identifier of a vehicle entering the parking facilitythrough entrance/exit 401. Radar-based vehicle detector 305 may monitorthe progress of a vehicle through field-of-view 320. If the vehicleleaves field-of-view 320 through field-of-view boundary 310-3 and,within a defined threshold period of time, a parking sensor in region402 indicates that a vehicle has arrived and parked within the parkingspace, the parking host system's parking fusion engine may determinethat the vehicle that triggered the parking sensor is highly likely tobe the vehicle that recently traversed field-of-view boundary 310-3.Therefore, the parking host may store an indication of the vehicle(e.g., license plate number) in association with an identifier of theparking space sensor or the parking space in which the vehicle has beendetermined to be parked.

If multiple vehicles are monitored entering hidden region 330-2, a“first-in, first parked” method of determining which vehicle is parkedin which parking space may be used. For example, if a first vehicle isfollowed by a second vehicle crossing into hidden region 330-2 throughfield-of-view boundary 310-1, the first parking sensor that indicates avehicle arrival may be assumed to be the first vehicle. Such anarrangement may not be perfectly accurate since, for example, the secondvehicle may turn into parking space 350-1 prior to the first vehicleturning into parking space 350-2.

FIG. 5 illustrates a time lapse of a top view of an embodiment of aparking facility as a vehicle enters and parks within the parkingfacility. In embodiment 500, vehicle 505 enters the parking facility asindicated by movement arrow 501. As vehicle 505 moves (such as indicatedby movement arrow 502) through field-of-view 320, radar-based vehicledetector 305 may monitor its movement. Vehicle 505 may turn and drivetoward field-of-view boundary 310-3.

In a first arrangement of embodiment 500, a parking sensor is present inparking space 350-1. While vehicle 505 may leave field-of-view 320through field-of-view boundary 310-1, the parking host system may stilldetermine that vehicle 505 has parked in parking space 350-1 (followingmovement arrow 503) by analyzing: when a parking sensor within parkingspace 350-1 detected the arrival of a vehicle; when vehicle 505 crossedfrom field-of-view 320 into hidden region 330-2; and/or where vehicle505 crossed field-of-view boundary 310-3. For example, if the parkingsensor in parking space 350-1 detects a vehicle arriving at parkingspace 350-1 within a predetermined amount of time, such as ten seconds,of vehicle 505 crossing field-of-view boundary 310-3 (and no otherparking sensors detected a vehicle arrival between when vehicle 505crossed field-of-view boundary 310-3 and the detection by the parkingsensor in parking space 350-1), the parking host system may determinethat vehicle 505 is the vehicle that parked within parking space 350-1.However, if vehicle 505 instead crossed field-of-view boundary 310-1into hidden region 330-1, the parking host system may not link a parkingsensor in parking space 350-1 to vehicle 505 since field-of-viewboundary 310-1 is not proximate to parking space 350-1 and it would behighly unlikely vehicle 505 triggered the parking sensor.

In a second arrangement of embodiment 500, parking space 350-1 does nothave a parking sensor installed. When vehicle 505 crosses field-of-viewboundary 310-3, remains outside of field-of-view 320 for a definedperiod of time (e.g., thirty seconds), and a parking sensor in parkingfacility region 402 does not indicate the arrival of vehicle 505,vehicle 505 may be determined to have parked in a parking space that ishidden or obscured from radar-based vehicle detector 305 but does nothave a parking sensor. Therefore, vehicle 505 may have followed movementarrow 503 and parked in hidden parking space 350-1. Alternatively,vehicle 505 may have followed movement arrow 504 and parked in obscuredparking space 340-7 and is at least partially obscured by vehicle 505from detection by radar-based vehicle detector 305. In such a situation,it may not be possible to determine the precise parking space in whichvehicle 505 parked. For example, vehicle 505 may have parked in parkingspace 340-6 and still be obscured from radar-based vehicle detector 305by vehicle 505. In some embodiments, data collected by radar-basedvehicle detector 305 may be used to make an estimation of where vehicle505 parked based on the last location of vehicle 505 withinfield-of-view 320. For instance, vehicle 505 may be partially visiblewhile pulling into parking space 340-7 and 340-6. This view of vehicle505 by radar-based vehicle detector 305 may be sufficient forradar-based vehicle detector 305 to determine that vehicle 505 is inparking space 340-7 or 340-6. Similarly, based on where vehicle 505exited field-of-view 320, data from radar-based vehicle detector 305 maybe used to estimate that vehicle 505 entered parking space 350-1.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a parking facility atwhich a radar device monitors multiple parking spaces in conjunctionwith an expanded number of parking space sensors. In embodiment 600,parking sensors are installed in parking spaces that are withinfield-of-view 320 of radar-based vehicle detector 305 but which may besignificantly obscured by a vehicle parked in an adjacent or nearbyparking space. In parking space 340-5, parking sensor 401-6 isinstalled; in parking space 340-4, parking sensor 401-5 is installed.Additionally, parking sensors are installed in hidden regions 330 of theparking facility, including parking sensor 401-1 in parking space 350-3.Parking space 340-4 may have a parking sensor installed since a vehicleparking in parking space 340-5 may significantly obscure a view ofparking space 340-4. However, a parking sensor in parking space 340-2may remain unnecessary since the view of radar-based vehicle detector305 will not be obscured by a vehicle parked in an adjacent or nearbyparking space.

In embodiment 600, when a vehicle enters a hidden, obscured, orpartially hidden or obscured parking space, a parking detection fusionengine being executed by the parking host system may analyze radar-basedvehicle detector data in conjunction with parking sensor data. When alocation cannot be determined from radar-based vehicle detector data,parking sensor data may be monitored for a parking sensor that indicatesa vehicle arrival within a threshold amount of time in the vicinity ofthe last determined location of the vehicle. For example, if vehicle 505was last detected by radar-based vehicle detector 305 at the illustratedlocation and, within a threshold period of time (e.g., 15 seconds),parking sensor 401-4 indicates a vehicle arrival, the parking detectionfusion engine may determine that vehicle 505 has parked in parking space350-2.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of an embodiment 700 of a parking facilityat which multiple radar devices monitor multiple parking spaces inconjunction with multiple parking space sensors. In addition toradar-based vehicle detector 305 having field-of-view 320 defined byfield-of-view boundaries 310 being present, radar-based vehicle detector701 is present having field-of-view boundary 710 defining field-of-view715. Therefore, portions of field-of-view 320 overlap with field-of-view715.

By using multiple radar-based vehicle detectors, the number of parkingspaces that are either hidden or capable of being obscured from bothradar-based vehicle detectors is decreased. For example, in embodiment700, only region 740 remains hidden to both radar-based vehicledetectors 305 and 701. In embodiment 700, parking sensors are positionedin parking spaces that: 1) are only within the field-of-view of a singleradar-based vehicle detector; or 2) are in a location where the parkingspace may be obscured from both radar-based vehicle detectors byadjacent vehicles. For instance, parking sensors are installed inparking spaces in region 720 because these parking spaces fall outsideof field-of-view 715. In such an embodiment, although a vehicle may beobscured from radar-based vehicle detector 305, the vehicle may remainvisible and trackable via radar-based vehicle detector 701.

Various methods may be performed using the systems and arrangementsdetailed in relation to FIGS. 1-7. FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of amethod 800 for using a radar device and parking space sensors todetermine where a vehicle has parked. Method 800 may be performed usingparking monitoring system 100 or any of the systems detailed in relationto FIGS. 2-7. Each step of method 800 may be performed by parking hostsystem 105 or some other form of parking host system.

At block 810, a vehicle may be detected entering a parking facility. Thevehicle may be initially detected using one or more visible lightcameras that provides data or images to the parking host system. Theimages may be used by the parking host system (or some other componentor system) to read a vehicle identifier (e.g., license plate) of thevehicle and/or determine one or more characteristics of the vehicle,such as color, size, type, make, model, etc. The vehicle identifier maybe stored and linked with the vehicle as the vehicle is monitored andtracked within the parking facility.

At block 820, the location of the vehicle within the parking facilitymay be tracked using data from one or more radar-based vehicledetectors. Each radar-based vehicle detector may have a field-of-view.These fields-of-view may at least partially overlap. Tracking thelocation of the vehicle may include determining where the vehicle iscurrently located and/or a parking space in which the vehicle hasparked.

At block 830, data from one or more parking sensors may be analyzed. Thedata from the parking sensors may indicate whether or not a parkingspace is occupied by a vehicle. In other embodiments, the data from theone or more parking sensors may be raw magnetic measurements that areanalyzed by the parking host system to determine whether or not avehicle is present.

At block 840, the parking host system may analyze the data from the oneor more radar-based vehicle detectors and the data from the one or moreparking sensors to determine a parking space in which the vehicle hasparked. The parking sensor data may be analyzed in conjunction with dataobtained from the radar-based vehicle detectors to determine if aparticular vehicle is likely the same vehicle that has entered a parkingspace. For example, if the parking host system determines that thevehicle enters a parking space and, within a defined threshold period oftime, a parking sensor within the parking space indicates that theparking space is occupied, the parking host system can with a highconfidence determine that the vehicle parked within the parking space.

Alternatively, at block 840, if the data from the one or moreradar-based vehicle detectors indicates that the vehicle has departed afield-of-view of a radar-based vehicle detector, but a parking sensor inthe region near where the vehicle has departed the field-of-viewindicates that a vehicle is now present, an inference may be made by theparking host system that the vehicle identified at block 810 is thevehicle that parked in the parking space. In some embodiments, thedetermination may only be made if less than a threshold amount of timehas elapsed between when the vehicle left the field-of-view and when theparking space sensor indicates that the parking space is occupied.Further, the inference may only be made if the parking space sensor islocated in a location that would be reasonable for the vehicle to haveentered after the vehicle left the field-of-view.

Alternatively, at block 840, if the data from the one or moreradar-based vehicle detectors indicates that the vehicle has departed afield-of-view of a radar-based vehicle detector, and no parking sensorsin the region to where the vehicle has departed indicate a vehicle hasparked, an inference may be made by the parking host system that thevehicle identified at block 810 has parked in a parking space hiddenfrom the radar-based vehicle detector.

At block 850, an indication of which parking spaces are available may beupdated based on the determination of block 840. This may include adisplay that presents an overall count of the parking spaces availablein various regions of the parking facility being updated. The update mayalso include an indicator specific to the parking space in which thevehicle parked being updated to indicate that the parking space is nowfilled. Entry to the parking facility can be controlled based on anumber of available parking spaces. Further, data may be storedindicative of the vehicle identifier being linked with the parking spacein which the vehicle is parked. The indication of the parking space inwhich the vehicle is parked, along with the vehicle identifier, may betransmitted to a cloud-based server system.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a method 900 for determining anefficient arrangement for monitoring parking spaces within a parkingfacility. Prior to method 800 being performed, method 900 may beperformed to determine where radar-based vehicle detectors should bepositioned at a parking facility and which parking spaces should bemonitored using in-space parking sensors. Method 900 may be performedusing parking monitoring system 100 and parking host system 105 of FIGS.1 and 2. Each step of method 800 may be performed by parking host system105 or some other form of parking host system.

At block 910, a map or rendering of a parking facility may be obtained.The map or rendering may include the layout of the parking facility andthe specific location of each parking space. The map or rendering canindicate where pillars or obstructions are located, where the entranceand exit is located, the height of any ceiling present, and/or otherphysical properties of the parking facility. Additional details may beadded by a user, such as locations where it is permissible to mountcameras or radar-based vehicle detectors.

At block 920, effective locations for radar-based vehicle detectors maybe determined. The locations determined at block 920 may indicate whereradar-based vehicle detectors should be located in order to monitor thegreatest number of parking spaces within the parking facility. Thelocations may be restricted to only being located within regions whereit is permissible to mount cameras or radar-based vehicle detectors. Insome embodiments, a number of radar-based vehicle detectors is input asa precondition for selecting the locations. In other embodiments,different results are output that correspond to different numbers ofradar-based vehicle detectors. Such an arrangement can help anadministrator decide if installation of additional radar-based vehicledetectors is worth the expense, perhaps to save on installation ofindividual parking space sensors.

At block 930, various simulations may be performed to determine parkingspaces within the parking facility that cannot be accurately monitoredfor whether a vehicle is present. A defined accuracy threshold may beprovided, such as 99% or 99.5%. Therefore, for various sorts ofsituations, such as where many large vehicles are present within theparking facility and potentially obstructing the views of particularparking spaces, a determination is made as to which parking spaces canand cannot be monitored with at least the defined accuracy threshold.

At block 940, for parking spaces that cannot be monitored withexclusively the radar-based vehicle detectors with at least the definedaccuracy threshold, a parking sensor may be assigned for installation.In some embodiments, blocks 920-940 may be repeated many times as partof different simulations in an attempt to minimize the number of parkingsensors needed such that every parking space is monitored with at leastthe defined accuracy threshold.

At block 950, an indication may be output of where the radar-basedvehicle detectors should be installed and which parking spaces shouldhave parking sensors installed within them. Block 950 may be performedby marking up the map or rendering obtained at block 910. In response toblock 950, the parking facility may have the parking sensors andradar-based vehicle detectors installed. Method 800 may be performedfollowing method 900.

The methods, systems, and devices discussed above are examples. Variousconfigurations may omit, substitute, or add various procedures orcomponents as appropriate. For instance, in alternative configurations,the methods may be performed in an order different from that described,and/or various stages may be added, omitted, and/or combined. Also,features described with respect to certain configurations may becombined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elementsof the configurations may be combined in a similar manner. Also,technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements are examples and donot limit the scope of the disclosure or claims.

Specific details are given in the description to provide a thoroughunderstanding of example configurations (including implementations).However, configurations may be practiced without these specific details.For example, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, andtechniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoidobscuring the configurations. This description provides exampleconfigurations only, and does not limit the scope, applicability, orconfigurations of the claims. Rather, the preceding description of theconfigurations will provide those skilled in the art with an enablingdescription for implementing described techniques. Various changes maybe made in the function and arrangement of elements without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the disclosure.

Also, configurations may be described as a process which is depicted asa flow diagram or block diagram. Although each may describe theoperations as a sequential process, many of the operations can beperformed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of theoperations may be rearranged. A process may have additional steps notincluded in the figure. Furthermore, examples of the methods may beimplemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode,hardware description languages, or any combination thereof. Whenimplemented in software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, the programcode or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in anon-transitory computer-readable medium such as a storage medium.Processors may perform the described tasks.

Having described several example configurations, various modifications,alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departingfrom the spirit of the disclosure. For example, the above elements maybe components of a larger system, wherein other rules may takeprecedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention.Also, a number of steps may be undertaken before, during, or after theabove elements are considered.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for determining where a vehicle hasparked, the method comprising: tracking, using one or more radar-basedvehicle detectors, the vehicle moving within a parking facility thatcomprises a plurality of parking spaces; determining that the vehiclemoving within the parking facility has left a field-of-view of the oneor more radar-based vehicle detectors; determining that a parking spacesensor located outside the field-of-view of the one or more radar-basedvehicle detectors indicates that a parking space in which the parkingspace sensor is located is now occupied; based on less than a thresholdamount of time elapsing from when the vehicle left the field-of-view ofthe one or more radar-based vehicle detectors and the parking spacesensor indicating that the parking space is now occupied, determiningthe parking space in which the parking space sensor is located is nowoccupied by the vehicle; storing an identifier of the vehicle mapped tothe parking space; and outputting an indication that the parking spaceis occupied.
 2. The method of determining where the vehicle has parkedof claim 1, further comprising: capturing, using a camera, an image of alicense plate of the vehicle; and obtaining the identifier from theimage of the license plate.
 3. The method of determining where thevehicle has parked of claim 1, wherein determining the parking space inwhich the parking space sensor is located is now occupied by the vehicleis further based on a location of the parking space and a location ofthe one or more radar-based vehicle detectors.
 4. The method ofdetermining where the vehicle has parked of claim 1, wherein the parkingspace sensor is installed in the parking space based on the parkingspace being partially or fully outside the field-of-view of the one ormore radar-based vehicle detectors.
 5. The method of determining wherethe vehicle has parked of claim 4, wherein the parking space sensor isone of a plurality of parking space sensors which are installed in aplurality of parking spaces that are only partially or fully outside thefield-of-view of the one or more radar-based vehicle detectors.
 6. Themethod for determining where the vehicle has parked of claim 1, whereindetermining the parking space in which the parking space sensor islocated is now occupied by the vehicle further comprises: determiningthat the parking space sensor is located in a region of the parkingfacility to which the vehicle had access based on where the vehicle leftthe field-of-view of the one or more radar-based vehicle detectors. 7.The method for determining where the vehicle has parked of claim 1,further comprising detecting the vehicle entering the parking facility.8. The method for determining where the vehicle has parked of claim 1,further comprising: obtaining a map of the parking facility; anddetermining one or more locations for the one or more radar-basedvehicle detectors that decreases a number of parking space sensorsneeded to effectively monitor the plurality of parking spaces.
 9. Themethod for determining where the vehicle has parked of claim 8, whereineffectively monitoring the plurality of parking spaces comprisesaccurately determining whether any vehicle is present within eachparking space greater than a defined accuracy threshold.
 10. The methodfor determining where the vehicle has parked of claim 9, furthercomprising: performing a simulation to determine a set of parking spacesof the plurality of parking spaces for which the one or more radar-basedvehicle detectors are insufficient to accurately determine whether anyvehicle is present within the parking spaces greater than the definedaccuracy threshold.
 11. A system for monitoring parking space occupancy,the system comprising: a radar-based vehicle detector that has afield-of-view of a portion of a parking facility; a plurality of parkingspace sensors installed in a plurality of parking spaces; and a parkinghost system that communicates with the radar-based vehicle detector andthe plurality of parking space sensors, wherein the parking host systemis configured to: track a vehicle moving within the parking facilitybased on data from the radar-based vehicle detector; determine that thevehicle moving within the parking facility has left the field-of-view ofthe radar-based vehicle detector; determine that a parking space sensorof the plurality of parking spaces sensors located in a parking spaceoutside the field-of-view of the radar-based vehicle detector indicatesthat the parking space is now occupied; based on less than a thresholdamount of time elapsing from when the vehicle left the field-of-view ofthe radar-based vehicle detector and the parking space sensor indicatingthat the parking space is now occupied, determine the parking space inwhich the parking space sensor is located is now occupied by thevehicle; store an identifier of the vehicle mapped to the parking space;and output an indication that the parking space is occupied.
 12. Thesystem for monitoring parking space occupancy of claim 11, furthercomprising: a camera, wherein license plate recognition is performed onimages captured by the camera and the identifier is determined based ona license plate number of the vehicle.
 13. The system for monitoringparking space occupancy of claim 11, wherein the parking host systembeing configured to determine the parking space in which the parkingspace sensor is located is now occupied by the vehicle is further basedon a location of the parking space and a location of the one or moreradar-based vehicle detectors.
 14. The system for monitoring parkingspace occupancy of claim 11, wherein the parking space sensor isinstalled in the parking space based on the parking space beingpartially or fully outside the field-of-view of the radar-based vehicledetector.
 15. The system for monitoring parking space occupancy of claim14, wherein the plurality of parking space sensors which are installedin the plurality of parking spaces are all partially or fully outsidethe field-of-view of the radar-based vehicle detector.
 16. The systemfor monitoring parking space occupancy of claim 11, wherein the parkinghost system is further configured to: obtain a map of the parkingfacility; and determine one or more locations for the one or moreradar-based vehicle detectors that decreases a number of parking spacesensors needed to effectively monitor the plurality of parking spaces.17. The system for monitoring parking space occupancy of claim 16,wherein the parking host system is further configured to perform asimulation to determine parking spaces of the plurality of parkingspaces for which the radar-based vehicle detector is insufficient toaccurately determine whether any vehicle is present within the parkingspaces greater than the defined accuracy threshold.
 18. The system formonitoring parking space occupancy of claim 11, wherein the parking hostsystem further comprises: a second radar-based parking space monitorthat is installed in a different location from the radar-based vehicledetector and has a second field-of-view that partially overlaps thefield-of-view.
 19. The system for monitoring parking space occupancy ofclaim 11, wherein the parking facility is a parking garage.
 20. Thesystem for monitoring parking space occupancy of claim 11, wherein theparking host system is part of a gateway device that serves as aninterface between a cloud-based server system and the plurality ofparking space sensors.